Interchangeable character ornament



July 27, 1937. 1 Q MARK 2,088,088

INTERCHANGEABLE CHARACTER ORNAMENT Filed Jan. 25, 1956 IIIIIIIIIIIIIBPatented July 27, 1937 UNETE STATES PATENT oFF-ics INTERCHANGEABLECHARACTER ORNA- MENT Louis 0. Mark, Providence, R. I., assignor to NewEngland Glass Works, Providence, R.- I., a partnership composed of AlexWeiner and Isaac L. Rice Application January 23, 1936, Serial No. 60,480

2 Claims.

vention is primarily adapted for use in making up initial monograms onbrooches or pins, it is apparent it may be used on bracelets, watchfobs, buckles or any other articles of jewelry.

I I am aware that others have madevarious types of monogram'ornamentsadapted to be sold by the manufacturer as units along with differentletters of the alphabet so that the consumer may go into a retailjewelry'store and have the jeweler set the proper selected characters orinitials into the ornament distinctive of the monogram of the purchaseror otherwise and may permanently aiiix them within the ornament onindividual.

order. My invention relates to improvements in this type of ornamentconstructed with a View of making the ready insertion of selectedinitials to make up a monogram more easily accomplished by the retailjeweler than has been possible in former constructions. With this end inview I have provided a front frame ornament member having an openingtherein to receive the characters and a back frame member hinged theretoby the manufacturer so that all the retail jeweler needs to .do afterdropping the, characters in the desired character divisions in theopening which character divisions are so constructed that the initialsimmediately fall into place, is to pivot the back frame memberdownwardly and simply secure it thereto.

Further features of my invention relate to the particular construction Iemploy including lugs forming character initial divisions in eachopening so that the initials may readily fall in place right side up.

ters permitting the jewelry of the open-work letters to vividly contrastagainst the background of the users dress.

Afurther feature of my invention is to provide a construction whereinthe attaching means for the selected initials or characters are allformed in closed position to lie within the normal depth of the ornamentand not protrude rearwardly therefrom.

. These and such other objects of my invention as may hereinafter appearmay be best understood from a description of the accompanying drawingwhich illustrates an embodiment thereof.

with the rear frame member thereof pivoted to an open position for theselective insertion of the selected initials making up the desiredmonogram therein by the retail jeweler, two of the initials being shownin dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a rear perspective View thereof after the initials orcharacters forming the desired monogram have been made up and the rearframe member pivoted to a closed position clamping the initials to theornament and in the act of being permanently secured thereto by theretail jeweler.

Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view of one of the initial charactermembers I preferably employ.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one half of my improved ornament cutlongitudinally substantially through the middle to show the edge thereofin section, the respective ornament being shown in elevation.

In the drawing, wherein like characters of reference generally indicatelike parts throughout, Ill generally indicates an ornament having anopening M for the mounting of selected character members thereinpreferably initial members making up a monogram constructed inaccordance with my invention. The ornament includes a front member I2preferably stamped, pressed or otherwise shaped of preferably pliablemetal for a purpose to be described, having an opening l4 for themounting of selected character members l6 therein. The top and bottomwalls of said interchangeable character members it are preferablyprovided withflanges l8 projecting outwardly from the rear edges of thetop and bottom walls thereof, and I provide grooves 2! 1n the rear wallof said ornament along the top and bottom edges of the opening I lhaving similar vertically aligned sets of lug means 22 thereonpreferably horizontally equi-distantly spaced forming between themcharacter divisions 24 of equal width in said opening I4. It is thusapparent that the character members It may be inserted face foremostfrom the rear of each character division 24 so that the flanges l8thereof abut the grooves 20 adjacent the top and bottom walls of saidopening M in the rear wall of said ornament l 2 within each respectivecharacter division 2A. And I provide means 26 adapted to be secured tothe rear wall of said ornament to overlappingly retain said flanges I8of said selected character members it within said grooves 29, in mypreferred embodiment, said means 26 preferably having an end 28pivotally mounted on the rear wall of said ornament so that said meansmay be pivoted to a closed position and be securable after selectiveinsertion of the desired character members in said opening M to the rearwall of said ornament to over-lappingly retain said flanges i8 withinsaid grooves 26. In my preferred embodiment, said means 26 is preferablyof greater area than the opening M and said interchangeable charactermembers preferably are constructed of open-work formation so that saidmeans 25 will not obscure said opening and so that said charactermembers it may project forwardly in relief in said opening l4 againstthe background of the user.

In the specific embodiment of brooch shown, the front member l2 formedof pliable metal is provided with a central rectangular opening l4 andalso preferably with portions extending laterally outwardly beyond saidopening in the front wall thereof having flat top, bottom and endportions adjacent said opening forming the appearance of a frame mountedcentrally within the ornament, said ornament being provided withornamented portions exterior of said frame 36. The rear wall ill of saidornament I2 is provided with inset grooves adjacent the top, bottom andend Walls of said opening forming a central inset substantiallyrectangular portion 32 of greater area than said opening M. In thespecific embodiment shown, the end walls of said inset portion 32 areprovided with the extension end grooves 34 of similar depth extendingcentrally outwardly therefrom having within vertically extendingintegral strips 36 and 38 projecting upwardly therefrom spaced from theends of said extension grooves 3 Supplemental grooves 20 of greaterdepth than said inset grooves are provided along the top and bottomedges of the rear wall of said opening each having a plurality of setsof lugs 22 therein equi-distantly spaced from the end walls of saidgrooves and opening, and adjacent sets of lugs 22 aligned with similarlyspaced lugs on the opposite groove to form character divisions 24 ofequal width and height in said opening 54. I also for a purpose to bedescribed, provide pliable lugs 39 projecting rearwardly from the rearwall of said front member preferably exterior of said top and bottomsupplemental grooves 20.

As a means to secure the interchangeable character members l6 withinsaid ornament, I provide a rear clamping hollow rectangular frame member26 of substantially the size of said inset portion 32 in the rear wallof said front member l2 having central extensions 49 on the ends thereofsubstantially the size of said extension grooves 34 and having verticalslits 42 therein to receive the pliable strips 36 and 38 projectingoutwardly from the grooves 34 in the rear wall of said front member. Inuse, one strip 38 is crimped over the outer end of one clampingextension 453 by the manufacturer as shown in Fig. 2 to permit pivotablemovement of said frame member for mounting of selective charactermembers 56 in the respective character divisions 24. After the desiredcharacter members 26 or letters to make up the desired monogram shown inFig. 1 have been selectively assembled within the opening by the retailjeweler, the frame member 26 is pivoted downwardly to permit the strip35 to project through the slit 42 in the opposite end of said framemember 25. To firmly rctain said opposite end of said frame member 2% tosaid front member l2, said pliable strip 36 is crimped outwardly by theretail jeweler preferably by means of the crimping tool shown in dottedlines in Fig. 3. The side walls of said frame member are also providedwith the holes 4 5, in the embodiment shown in extensions it projectinglaterally therefrom to receive the lug means Eli and after suchinsertion, the ends of said lug means may then be suitably upset, ifdesired, by the same crimping tool, to assist in securing the top andbottom walls of said frame member 26 to said front member and saidcharacter members I 6 within said opening H3 along their length.

If desired, as shown in Fig. 5 to assist the retail jeweler inassembling the letters within their respective character divisions rightside up, each character member l 6 and each character division 24 insaid front member may be provided with cooperating insignia thereon inthe embodiment shown, a supplemental prong 53 projecting upwardlycentrally of a groove 28 in each division 24 and a slit 52 in a flangeE8 of each character member to guide the retail jeweler to permit rapidinsertion of each character member it in proper vertical alignmentwithin each division M.

In the specific embodiment shown, I have employed a brooch and for thispurpose the pivot ears 54 may be integrally struck up to projectrearwardly from the top wall of the frame member 26 for mounting of asuitable pivot pin 56 for the pivotable pin shank 58 and a suitablelocking lug 60 for the opposite end of the pivotable pin shank 58 may besimilarly struck up to project rearwardly from the top wall of the framemember 26.

As I preferably construct my improved ornament member of pliablematerial it is obvious that the ends of the locking strips 36 and 38 andthe respective ends of the lugs 39 may be readily respectively crimpedover or upset by the retail jeweler preferably by means of the simplecrimping tool shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

It is thus apparent that I have provided a novel type of ornament havingmeans for securing selected characters in an opening thereof hingedlysecured thereto for the ready selective assembly of the desired monogramor other assembly thereof therein by the retail jeweler and aconstruction which will permit the respective character members to fallin place in selective alignment to facilitate assembly by the retailjeweler and with the other advantages explained above.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specificembodiment shown and that various deviations may be made therefromwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An ornament comprising a front member for mounting of selectivecharacter members therein having a central rectangular opening, a frontwall having flat top, bottom and end portions adjacent said opening, arear wall having inset grooves adjacent the top, bottom and end Walls ofsaid opening forming a central inset portion of greater area than saidopening, supplemental grooves of greater depth along the top and bottomedges of the rear wall of said opening each having a plurality of setsof lugs therein equi-distantly spaced from the end walls of said groovesand opem'ng and adjacent sets aligned with similarly spaced lugs on theopposite groove to form character divisions of equal size in saidopening, rectangular interchangeable character members of similar size,each of a height substantially that of said opening and of a widthsubstantially that of said character divisions, 1hav ing flangesprojecting outwardly from the rear edges of each top and bottom wallthereof, mounted from the rear in said supplemental grooves to have saidcentral character portions project forwardly in relief through saidopening, a rear clamping rectangular frame member, and means to firmlysecure said rear frame member within said central inset portion of saidfront member rear wall to rigidly secure the flanges of said charactermembers within said supplemental grooves, a wall of each charactermember and each character division in said front member havingcooperating insignia therein to permit rapid insertion of each charactermember in proper vertical alignment With each division.

2. An ornament comprising a front member for mounting of selectivecharacter members therein having a central rectangular opening, a frontwall having flat top, bottom and end portions adjacent said opening, arear wall having inset grooves adjacent the top, bottom and end walls ofsaid opening forming a central inset portion of greater area than saidopening, supplemental grooves of greater depth along the top and bottomedges of the rear wall of said opening each having a plurality of setsof lugs therein equi-distantly spaced from the end walls of said groovesand opening and adjacent sets aligned with similarly spaced lugs on theopposite groove to form character divisions of equal size in saidopening, rectangular interchangeable character members of similar size,each of a height substantially that of said opening and of a widthsubstantially that of said character divisions, having flangesprojecting outwardly from the rear edges of each top and bottom wallthereof, mounted from the rear in said supplemental grooves to have saidcentral character portions project forwardly in relief through saidopening, a rear clamping rectangular frame member, and means to firmlysecure said rear frame member within said central inset portion of saidfront member rear wall to rigidly secure the flanges of said,

character members within said supplemental grooves.

LOUIS C. MARK.

